Introduction:

Students should be able to identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations. Students should be able to formulate and revise explanations and models using logic and evidence.

This project offers students a computer model of a Grassland Ecosystem, with a variety of controls that can simulate human interventions in the ecosystem. Students will create an experimental design to study the effects of different changes in the ecosystem. They will observe that some factors are random, while others can be controlled or varied. They will study how these factors interact to produce different outcomes, and develop a hypothesis they can test with multiple trials.

The finished project will be a written report that documents their work in Planning, Obtaining Evidence, Analyzing Data, and Evaluating the data and procedures.

Activity:

• Your assignment is to design, conduct, and report on a scientific experiment involving the Grassland Simulation, linked to the right.
• You may identify up to three other people as consultants to your research project. Your grade can earn a "plus" factor if every one of your consultants completes their project on-time, and identifies some specific way that you helped them improve their project.

Deadlines:

• Proposal Due: Thursday, February 26, 2015
• Data Due: Thursday, March 5, 2015
• Final Report Due: Thursday, March 19, 2015

Grading Rubric:

There will be two major grades given for this project.

Planning/Data

Planning should answer these questions, and will be judged by the standards labeled "P" in the following list:
Work showing these qualities will earn a C in CP classes, a D in Honors classes:

• P2a: outline a simple procedure.
• O2a: collect some evidence using a simple and safe procedure.

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Work showing these qualities will earn a B in CP classes, a C in Honors classes:

• P4a: plan to collect evidence which will be valid;
• P4b: plan the use of suitable equipment or sources of evidence.
• O4a: collect appropriate evidence which is adequate for the activity;
• O4b: record the evidence.

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Work showing these qualities will earn an A in CP classes, a B in Honors classes:

• P6a: use scientific knowledge and understanding to plan and communicate a procedure, to identify key factors to vary, control or take into account, and to make a prediction where appropriate;
• P6b: decide a suitable extent and range of evidence to be collected.
• O6a: collect sufficient systematic and accurate evidence and repeat or check when appropriate;
• O6b: record clearly and accurately the evidence collected.

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Work showing these qualities will earn an A+ in CP classes, an A in Honors classes:

• P8a: use detailed scientific knowledge and understanding to plan and communicate an appropriate strategy, taking into account the need to produce precise and reliable evidence, and to justify a prediction, when one has been made;
• P8b: use relevant information from preliminary work, where appropriate, to inform the plan.
• O8a: use a procedure with precision and skill to obtain and record an appropriate range of reliable evidence.

Analysis/Evaluation

Work showing these qualities will earn a C in CP classes, a D in Honors classes:

• A2a: state simply what is shown by the evidence.
• E2a: make a relevant comment about the procedure used or the evidence obtained.

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Work showing these qualities will earn a B in CP classes, a C in Honors classes:

• A4a: use simple diagrams, charts or graphs as a basis for explaining the evidence;
• A4b: identify trends and patterns in the evidence.
• E4a: comment on the quality of the evidence, identifying any anomalies;
• E4b: comment on the suitability of the procedure and, where appropriate, suggest changes to improve it.

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Work showing these qualities will earn an A in CP classes, a B in Honors classes:

• A6a: construct and use suitable diagrams, charts, graphs (with lines of best fit, where appropriate), or use numerical methods, to process evidence for a conclusion;
• A6b: draw a conclusion consistent with the evidence and explain it using scientific knowledge and understanding.
• E6a: consider critically the reliability of the evidence and whether it is sufficient to support the conclusion, accounting for any anomalies;
• E6b: describe, in detail, further work to provide additional relevant evidence.

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Work showing these qualities will earn an A+ in CP classes, an A in Honors classes:

• A8a: use detailed scientific knowledge and understanding to explain a valid conclusion drawn from processed evidence;
• A8b: explain the extent to which the conclusion supports the prediction if one has been made.
• E8a: make connections between experimental design and events in the natural world, considering any important differences between them;
• E8b: produce improvements in the experimental model.

Reference Materials:

Enrichment: